Star Trek: Ghosts of the Abyss
by Ariston-1
Summary: The discovery of an old Starfleet Vessel and an propulsion experiment leads to a dangerous situation of the crew of the Newly Launched NCC-1701 under the command of Captain James T. Kirk. (Contains Adult Themes)
1. Chapter 1

Star Trek

Ghosts of the Abyss

Chapter One

Cruising through space at a steady speed of Warp Six, the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 had finally relaunched for the second time under the command of Captain James T. Kirk after a refit to bring the vessel itself up to code with the rest of the fleet. With a larger crew compliment and minor changes to the uniform tunics to the older colours once used by Starfleet, gold for Command, red for Security and Engineering and blue for Sciences and Medical along with a new green wrap around style uniform for the Commanding officer him or herself. Becoming basically a new vessel itself, the Enterprise was fast becoming the pride of the Federation along with the youngest captain in Starfleet History.

It had been a sombre last assignment for the captain himself after the death of his old friend, Garry Mitchell as Kirk was forced to kill the man himself after a dangerous change overcame him.

Finally approaching her assigned patrol routes close too the Romulan Neutral Zone, Kirk sat comfortably in his new command chair as he looked around the bridge at the crew, most he had known for years whilst others had been assigned to his command before the final launch, his young helm officer a brilliant Lieutenant named Hikaru Sulu monitored the new systems as he reported the ship had finally reached its destination.

"Thank you Lieutenant Sulu. Well, here we go again… Mister Burke, lay in a patrol route is directed, Mister Sulu, half impulse power. Mister Spock, full sensor scan of the region ahead… Engine Room, this is the Captain, place the Warp Engines on Stand-by mode and run a full diagnostic on the new systems"

"Aye Sir!" Called out the Scottish Chief Engineer.

"Mister Scott, how long will it take to Complete the diagnostics?"

"Eighteen hours sir, but I'll do it for you in twelve for that bottle of Scotch you have hidden in storage bay two?"

"Twelve hours Mister Scott and I'll join you for a drink" Kirk sad with a large smile.

"Aye Sir! Engineering out"

"Curious" Spock said seemingly too himself as he peered into his scope.

"What is it Mister Spock?"

"Unsure Captain. Sensors report a large object at extreme range. It appears to be a derelict vessel Captain" Spock said as he adjusted his scanners. "It does not appear to be on any Star charts of this region"

"Then… let's take a look. Alter course to intercept the vessel, full impulse power… Communications Officer try and hail the ship, let whoever is onboard that we are approaching, Spock… continue with your scans please"

"No response sir" Called out the Communications officer.

"Thank you Mister Cole" Kirk said as he looked over his shoulder at the man sat behind him.

As they approached the derelict vessel, it slowly grew in size on the screen before them as Kirk leaned forwards in his chair in a vain attempt too identify the derelict vessel before him.

"What is it?" He said slowly.

"It appears to be an old Starfleet Starship Captain. However, I am reading no power emissions from the vessel"

"Captain, if memory serves… that class of ship was launched in the early 22nd Century. Limited warp and weapons capability, underpowered and overworked" Called out the navigation officer.

"I had no idea you held an interest in history Mister Burke" Kirk said with a smile on his face.

"Yes sir, well more a family history. An ancestor of mine was the Commanding officer of a similar class. She was my inspiration for joining the Space-Service" She replied with pride.

"Captain. My scans indicate that the ship is adrift" Spock said, stating the obvious as Kirk forced back his laughter. "The vessel is off-line. However, it may be possible for a power transfer"

"Alright… Sulu, move into position and lock a tractor beam onto that ship, if we can salvage her she could be an excellent edition to the fleet museum. Mission briefing in one hour with all department heads… Mister Burke, come with me"

"Aye sir" Burke said as she stood from the navigation console.

Taking one last look at the ship on the large screen before her, the young female lieutenant turned with a smile on her face as she followed the Captain towards the Turbolift as they spoke about the unusual discovery of the ship itself. One hour later, the command staff had assembled in one of the many briefing rooms scattered around the ship as an image of the ship taken directly from the sensors had been placed on the triangular shaped monitors before them. A small ship dwarfed by the Enterprise herself remained motionless in the tractor beam of the Enterprise. A small half-circle 'saucer-section' leading towards a small engineering section directly to the rear. The warp nacelles themselves seemed to be attached to the saucer section itself which rested either side of the bridge module to create a compact looking starship.

Leaning forwards in her chair, Burke examined the vessel in every detail as she spoke with a large smile on her face.

"I've never seen one of these in person, she's beautiful. Captain, request assignment to the salvage detail?"

"Slow down Mister Burke. Status of the derelict vessel Engineer?"

"From what I can tell Captain, the ship is fully operational, she's simply out of fuel" Replied Lieutenant Commander Scott.

"Can we… refuel her?" Burke said quickly.

"Aye Lassie, we can do that! I'd have too construct an adapter to refuel the plasma injectors… but it's not difficult. The schematics should be in the database"

"Any signs of biological matter onboard the ship Doctor?" Kirk said with a half smile.

"No Jim, the ship is deserted…"

"All lifeboats and shuttlecraft remain in place Captain and I have detected no damage to the vessel" Spock said as stoically as ever.

"So, what happened to the crew?"

"More importantly Captain, how did she get this far out? That class of ship had a limited warp capability… below warp five. They where simply relegated too patrolling the home system and neighbouring colonies as a part of the home fleet defence. Although heavily utilised during the Romulan War they where still relegated to warp three maybe warp four at a push" Burke called out quickly. "One thing is for sure Captain Kirk, the answers are onboard that ship. Let me take a small team over in EVA suits, we'll check the ship out and try too get main power back on-line. Once she's awake, I'll download her database and log entries for transmission to Commander Spock for analysis… once I'm sure the vessel is safe, a salvage team can beam onboard sir"

"Bucking for the Captain seat Miss Burke?" McCoy called out with a laughter in his voice.

"Perhaps Doctor, that ship needs a commanding officer. I know more about those class of ships then most around people here. Sir, let me do this"

"Alright Burke, you have the job. Mister Scott, can you spare anyone from Engineering?"

"Aye Sir… Ensign Carver is a fine engineer"

"Julie Carver? I know her sir. Request permission too assemble an away team Captain?" Burke said with excitement.

"Take a team of four Lieutenant, find out what happened too that Starship. Mister Cole, alert Starfleet of the find and request that they dispatch a tug-boat out here"

"Yes Captain, right away"

"Dismissed"

Smiling almost from ear-to-ear Lieutenant Louise Burke stood from the chair as quickly as she could which sent the chair spinning behind her while she left the room with the Command Staff as Kirk and McCoy remained seated as Kirk watched her leave.

"She's a force of nature that one Jim" McCoy said with a smile.

"I noticed that Bones…"

"Jim, don't even try it. You never change… she's a junior officer, don't even think about it"

"I am going to regret having you as my CMO Bones?" Kirk said with a loud groan. "You know me too damned well, besides… she's married"

"Just stating a fact Jim"

Stood in the transporter room wearing the full EVA suits as Lieutenant Commander Scott stood at the transporter controls with his Engineering assistant while his assistant locked in the transporter controls onto the bridge of the derelict ship.

"We're all set lassie" Scotty said with a large smile.

"Aye sir. Phasers on stun setting only…" Burke said through the helmet.

"Lieutenant, I thought you said the ship was deserted?"

"It is, but it's best to be safe Carver… Worried Julie?" Burke replied with a laughter in her voice. "… I tell you what, if anything scares you, come and get me!"

Laughing almost uncontrollably, Mister Scott activated the transporter system through his own tears as the away team disappeared in a yellow haze of transporter energy. For a brief moment, the away team saw both the brightly lit transporter room of the Enterprise and the bridge of the abandoned ship simultaneously in a strange aura of energy until the transporter room itself dissolved only to be replaced with the dark large room as they activated the torches on their helmets. Almost half the size of the Enterprise bridge, the design was compact for the size of the vessel as all consoles remained dark as the beams of light from their lanterns both on their helmets and in their hands scanned the room slowly.

"Wow!" Called out Carver with a smile.

"Wow, indeed" Replied Crewman Albert Penk, the large engineer at her side.

"Alright, let's see what we can do with this thing. Penk… the engineering console should be at your left. Try and install that power module you're carrying, let's see if we can get some light in here. The rest of you, fan out… there should be an emergency access door somewhere in here which leads to a maintenance shaft"

"Aye sir!" Penk said quickly.

_Captain's Log, Stardate 1112.9..._

_For over three hours the Engineering team has been onboard the derelict Starfleet vessel we now know as the Starship Saratoga, a ship that disappeared with all hands 109 years ago. Although I have yet to step foot on the Saratoga, I have full confidence in the leadership of Lieutenant Louise Burke and her team and I have given her full command of the ancient Starship salvage team. Starfleet Command has been made aware of the situation and has dispatched a Tug-Boat class starship for recovery although Lieutenant Burke and her team are convinced that they can bring the ship back on-line before the Tug-Boat arrives… personally, I think she wants to make a grand entrance to Earth with the vessel under it's own power and I'm looking forwards to beaming over to that ship myself since all datafiles have been transmitted to Mister Spock for Analysis and emergency power has been restored to the ship itself._

Materialising on the bridge alone, Kirk stopped for a moment as he looked around at the design itself before Lieutenant Burke stood from the captain's chair with a large smile on her face as she gave her report.

"Captain Kirk, welcome aboard the Saratoga sir. As you can see sir, we have emergency power and with the assistance of Commander Scott, Carver thinks she can have main power back on-line in two hours. We should be ready to activate the Warp Engines by that time"

"Relax… Captain! I'm just looking around"

"Captain Louise Burke, it has a nice little ring too it, doesn't it?" She said with pride.

"I'm sure that you'll make a fine captain one day. Is it my imagination, or is it a little hot in here?" Kirk said as he stretched his collar slightly.

"Yes, we're having a few problems with the environmental systems, the air is a little thinner and the gravity is slightly less then one Earth normal. But I kinda like the idea of weighing a few pounds less over here"

"You're not alone on that… Captain Burke. Well, it seems that you have everything under control… how about a tour of the ship?"

"Actually Captain Kirk, follow me…"

With a large smile upon her face, she turned and walked towards a door too her left as Kirk followed as she stepped into a small private office which belonged to the commanding officer. Laughing slightly, Kirk looked around at the private office with a second door leading towards a private lavatory, the walls of the office had been decorated by the former commander of the ship with personal photos of the captain's loved ones. Directly too his left was a work station with a computer system tied directly into the ship's main computer core as at his right was a small table with a chair pushed underneath.

"Captain's ready room" Burke smiled.

"Now, why don't I have one of these?" Kirk said with a pout on his face.

"No idea, James. Since we got the systems back on-line, I've had a chance to study the ship's database…"

Activating the computer screen before her, an image of a woman in her mid-thirties appeared on the screen as Burke spoke with a strange smile on her face.

"… Meet Captain Elizabeth Jerome, the Commanding officer of this ship. She was 36 when she took command after the death of her former commanding officer during the Romulan War"

"Attractive" Kirk said slowly. "… Any idea how the ship got this far out?"

"No sir, those log entries are code-locked and I've only gone through a third of her log entries sir…" For a brief moment, her eyes clenched shut as she clenched her jaw before she opened her eyes and continued. "… They where conducting some… experiment on the warp engines when they received a call from Starfleet Command"

"Are you alright Burke?" Kirk said with concern.

"Yes sir, I'm fine. Just another headache. I know what you are going too say sir, report to sickbay. I do not run to Sickbay every time I have an ache or pain, it will pass sir. Something in her private log entries that I noticed, she was… in a relationship with another officer onboard her ship, the Chief Engineer named Jennifer West"

"I see!" Kirk said quickly.

"Apparently… their relationship was a major talking point amongst the crew as Captain Jerome was married to another Starfleet Captain…" She said as she clenched her eyes shut.

"It happens Miss Burke. Another headache. Perhaps you should report to Doctor McCoy" Kirk once again said with concern for his junior officer.

For a brief moment, her entire demeanour seemed too change as she stood tall and pressed back her shoulders as she spoke with an anger in her voice.

"Mind your own damned business James!" She said with anger. "I said I'm fine…"

"Lieutenant?" Kirk said quickly.

"Sorry sir… I guess, that I am just tired" She said as she shook her head slightly.

"I see. Another out burst like that Miss Burke and I will have you relieved of duty, but I'll let it slide, this time" Kirk replied with a slight wink.

"Thank you sir. And once again, I'm sorry. Anyway, the Warp experiment had something too do with a new warp field design but the logs seem to end there, the rest are locked down. Perhaps Commander Bennett can have better chance at decoding them?"

"Bennett?" Kirk said quickly.

"I mean, Commander Spock sir…"

"Report to sickbay Lieutenant, that's an order" Kirk said instantly.

"Aye sir. Once I have finished these reports I shall report directly there…"

Cutting off her sentence, Kirk's communicator chirped into life with the voice of Commander Spock as Kirk reached behind his back and flipped open the device before him.

"Kirk here, go ahead Spock"

"Captain, we are receiving a distress call from a freighter, they have lost all warp power and requesting emergency assistance" Spock replied over the speaker of the small device.

"Very well Commander, set course and stand by I shall beam over shortly. Kirk out"

Flipping the communicator closed, he looked at the Lieutenant at his side as he nodded while he spoke.

"… How many of my crew are on board Lieutenant?"

"Thirty Two sir, including Doctor Wallis. Ensign King sliced his hand on a piece of equipment whilst in Engineering. They are both in sickbay, once I'm finished here, I will report directly there sir. Go and assist that Freighter sir, we'll be fine here Captain" She said quickly.

"Are you sure Lieutenant?"

"We'll be fine sir. A Starfleet ship is on her way…"


	2. Chapter 2

Star Trek

Ghosts of the Abyss

Chapter Two

_Captain__'__s Log, Supplemental…_

_We reached the coordinates given by the distress call and yet, nothing… so far we have searched the but too no avail, this doesn't feel right. We have been out of contact with the Saratoga for Sixteen hours and so far, twelve of the crew have been confined to their quarters after a fight broke out in the messhall leaving three people in sickbay and two dead including Lieutenant Elias Cole, Chief of Communications and taking over his position is Lieutenant Uhura. We have had reports from all departments of fights breaking out all over the ship and so far, Doctor Slater has found no evidence of why. Did I say Slater? Doctor McCoy… it's happening too me, the confusion… the headaches like a hot knife cutting into the back of my head and I don't know why._

_What is happening too myself and my crew?_

Taking a deep breath as if too stabilise his thoughts, James Kirk left his own private quarters and walked the short distance towards the Turbolift as he noticed the crew seemed to be walking around in a daze. After transporting back onboard the Enterprise with his Chief Engineer, things seemed to be different onboard the newly refit starship as many officers seemed to be lost in their duties and the equipment which had become Starfleet Standard almost appeared as if the crew had little or no idea of how too control it. Upon entering the Turbolift, he called out for the bridge as the turbolift instantly activated with the touch of his hand upon the handles which lined the walls as he twisted the control column with his left hand. Finally he re-entered his bridge as the half-Vulcan first officer stood with a nod as he spoke.

"Captain, we have conducted a full scan of the area… we detect no sign of the freighter"

"I see. Perhaps you're not looking hard enough Commander since that call from this location. Helm, bring us to port… 65 degrees and set course for the nearest system. You know how these new systems are…" Kirk smiled.

"Captain, that would take us into the Neutral Zone and violate our treaty with the Romulans" Spock called out.

"A treaty, with those… inhuman bastards? Mister Walker, I gave you an ORDER!" Kirk yelled.

Instantly turning around to face the Captain, Sulu looked shocked as he instantly fired a questioning look towards the Vulcan First Officer.

"Captain?" Sulu said quickly.

"Mister Sulu, I said course back towards the Saratoga maximum warp" Kirk said quickly.

"Captain Kirk… Perhaps you should report to sickbay, whatever has affected this crew is effecting you also"

"Of course Spock" Kirk said slowly as he hung his head.

"Mister Sulu, please escort Captain Kirk to Sickbay, Lieutenant Uhura… take the helm"

Stepping from his seat, Kirk walked towards the turbolift as Sulu followed him at his side while the replacement Communications officer stepped towards the helm and sat down slowly as her eyes ran over the many controls before her too familiarise herself with the controls of the station itself. Although it was unusual for a communications officer to sit at the helm, she was fully trained in the controls of the starship even though her new chosen profession was linguistics and communication. A trained Starship pilot, she had recently transferred to Communications although her uniform tunic displayed a gold colour.

As they travelled through the ship, pain once again ripped through the Captain's mind as he griped his head before he stood tall and proud as he looked at Sulu with a smile upon his face as he spoke.

"It was a foolish move by Bennett, he wants this ship. I assume that you are with me Tara?"

"Yes Captain, I am with you" Sulu said quickly.

"I just wish… I knew what Lizzy was doing right now. I have thirteen Starships ready and waiting…"

Running his hand over Kirk's face, Sulu smiled as he spoke with a soft voice.

"Forget about her James, she never appreciated you in the way that I do, in the way that I can… "

"I know…" Kirk said before he clenched his eyes shut and grabbed his head in pain once more.

_Captains Log: Supplemental…_

_Earth Starship Saratoga._

_Captain Elizabeth Jerome recording._

_We've finally restored full Warp Capability and I am glad too record that the war with the Romulans is going in our favour. The Experiments with the Warp Drive have yielded some… amazing results and we are due to begin warp trials in the morning. In the meantime, I am long over due for sometime with a very close friend. End Log Entry_

_Twenty Four Hours Later…_

"Spock, what the hell is going on around here? People have been acting strangely since we left the Saratoga and now the Warp Engines are completely off line… Spock, Commander Spock, are you listening too me?" Kirk yelled as he stepped onto the bridge.

Slowly the Vulcan officer looked up from the scope before him with a disturbed look on his face whilst he looked around the bridge as if he was lost for a moment before he finally focused on the Captain before him as he spoke.

"Who is Spock? Is there a problem Captain Jerome?"

"Jerome? Spock are you feeling alright?" Kirk said with Concern.

"Who is Spock?" He said quickly. "We've served together for eight years Jim, have you forgotten my name? I know that you've been under a lot of pressure since Lizzie filed for divorce, I'm Lieutenant Junior Charles Bennett. Perhaps you should report to Sickbay?"

"No, I'm fine…" Kirk said thinking quickly. "Spock is a codeword for… a medical emergency. Please report to sickbay Lieutenant, the Doctor could use your assistance"

"Of course sir. Right away Captain" He said quickly. "Ohh Captain, no sign of that freighter yet. We've conducted a full sensor sweep of the region, Lieutenant Uhura has dispatched a message to Starfleet Command. We are still awaiting a response, The Enterprise is on her way sir"

His unusual manner seemed too shock Kirk, however he kept his emotions in check as he slowly sat down in the command chair with a sigh as he looked around his bridge. As he approached the turbolift doors, Spock suddenly stopped and grabbed his head in pain before he straightened his back and turned to face Kirk with a questioning look in his eyes as he spoke.

"Captain Kirk? Why am I… ?" He said with confusion.

"Calm down Spock, it seems that we have all been affected by something…"

"I was making progress with my analysis for Doctor McCoy, and then I was stood here. Captain, we must return to the Saratoga immediately… somehow, that vessel is the cause of all of this" He said with urgency as he stepped onto the lower deck of the bridge.

"Positive Captain, however… the closer we'll get towards the Saratoga, the more we will feel the effects of whatever has happened to the crew" Spock said quickly.

"What about the crew we left behind Spock? What is happening too them?"

"If my research is correct Captain Kirk, they may already have fully displayed the personalities of whoever is attempting too control them. I may have a solution too protect the Enterprise by a remodulation the frequencies to an inverse of the…"

"SPOCK! You're giving me a headache and in the current situation I don't know if that is good or bad. Helm, set course for the Saratoga, best possible speeds. I want this ship at warp speeds as soon as possible. Commander Spock, do whatever it is that you need too do"

Onboard the Saratoga, something strange had happened as the personalities of the entire salvage team had seemingly been replaced by those of the original crew, their personalities, preferences and experiences had overpowered their own minds whilst making the most of the knowledge that the Enterprise crew had carried.

Stood next to the closed door of the captain's quarters wearing only a half open bathrobe, Lieutenant Louise Burke now fully engrossed in the personality of Captain Elizabeth Jerome, leaned against the wall while her companion for the night pulled on her mid 22nd century Starfleet uniform as she spoke.

"… And I promise you honey, we'll have the warp drive back on-line in a few hours. I have no idea what people where doing in Engineering, but they made a serious mess of things down there"

"I assume that the experiment is still operational?" Replied the Captain.

"The Spacefold technology is still on-line however, we'd have to make Warp 3.2 for it too become operational now, at a push… she can make it. She's no Warp 5 ship, but she's got the fighting spirit honey"

Finally pulling on her boots, she stood from the bed they had shared the night before as the Captain walked towards her with a smile.

"I know you can do it. Once we're fully operational, we'll drop in on Neralus IV and retake that colony ourselves" She said as she held the woman before her.

"Wouldn't Starfleet try too stop us Lizzie?"

"I warned them two years ago that system was badly protected and they ignored me. Once we retake that system… Starfleet will finally listen to us Jenny and then we'll finally take the battle too the Romulans with this ship at the front of the fleet, not Enterprise"

"Finally. I should be leaving, lots of work to do. See you tonight?" Replied Ensign Carver with the memories of Jennifer West.

Arriving on the bridge fifteen minutes later, Louise Burke sat in the Captain's chair as she looked around the bridge at the crew with a smile on her face even though something felt wrong about everything and everyone around her, including her lover Jennifer West. Although she recognised each of them as the crew she had worked with since she boarded the ship as First Officer, their faces, their voices where different even her own voice was higher pitched and her body felt younger even though she recognised each of them and herself instantly whilst something seemed too knock away at the back if her mind, something crying out to be heard or even noticed.

"Engineering. West; you back there honey?" Called out the captain.

"I'm here, Spacefold generators online and I am taking the warp engines towards maximum speeds"

"Captain, we are still not moving. Although our engines are at Warp 3.2, we're being held…" Called out the Science Officer. "… No matter how much force we put into the engines, we're still being held here ma'am"

"Can you identify the source of what is holding us here?" The Captain cried out as the engines began too roar with the strain.

"Negative ma'am! Sensors are failing. We have to shut down the drive Captain!" Called out the Science officer once more.

"Not yet! West, can you project a fold before us? Maybe it can break us loose… we must break free!"

"I'll do what I can Captain!" Cried out the Engineer.

"Ma'am, Spacefold Vortex is forming, I can see the Event Horizon on my sensors… stand-by I'm going to try and cut power, hopefully the singularity will have enough pull to drag us inside"

"Captain, we're overheating the warp core, we have to shut this down before we explode" Called out the Engineer.

Cursing under her breath, the Captain nodded slowly as she lowered her head while pain once again echoed through her mind along with the entire crew for a brief moment before she and everyone on the bridge looked around with shock as Lieutenant Louise Burke's personality emerged.

"What the hell is happening? Where… NO!" She screamed as the personality of the Captain overcame her once again. "We… we almost had it"

"Captain, for a brief moment I thought I heard…"

"… Another voice in your head Mister Peck? Same here, anyone else have a similar experience?"

"Yes Captain… I heard someone talking with my voice, but it was… gone so fast" Replied the Communications officer.

"West, shut down the Spacefold generators until we find out exactly what is going on"

"Yes Captain, the generator is powering down. Lizzie what happened up there?"

"I don't know Jenn. Attention all hands… all crew report to the messhall right away. Let's see if we can find out exactly what is going on around here"

_Captain__'__s Log, Stardate Additional…_

_With the Warp Engines back on-line, we're at maximum warp heading back towards the Saratoga too retrieve the remainder of our crew. Commander Spock and Mister Scott have been working for two hours to bring the shield modifications on-line in an attempt too protect the crew from whatever is happening to us and so far, fully a third of the crew have been confined to their own quarters as they have displayed different personalities, what is more unusual is that the personalities seem to be department specific. On occasion I have also displayed the personality of a Starfleet officer named Captain James Jerome… I am currently researching his personnel record._

'_Jerome, Captain James Alec, born…_'

"Computer, Skip to service record" Kirk called out as he pulled on his uniform tunic.

'_Working… Assigned to the Earth Starship Essex in 2154. Awarded Starfleet Commendation of Honour…_'

"Impressive list. Computer, skip to final entry?"

'_Working… After a conflict with a Romulan cruiser the last reports was that Captain Jerome had altered course to search for the missing Earth vessel Saratoga as commanded by Captain Elizabeth Jerome…_'

"His wife?" Kirk mumbled.

'_Affirmative… the Earth vessel Essex was listed as missing presumed destroyed. Fourteen months later, the Starship Essex was discovered abandoned by a Vulcan Starship and returned too Earth_'

"Search historical databanks and correlate with the discovery of the Saratoga, is their a correlation between the two discoveries?"

'_Affirmative_' replied the Computer once again.

"What happened to the Starship Essex once it returned to Earth?"

'_After analysis of the vessel, it received a new crew and pressed back into service for boarder patrol. Two years after the Romulan War ended, it was decommissioned and scrapped… file ends_'

"Was their any investigation into the disappearance of both crews?" Kirk said as he sat before the computer screen.

'_Saratoga was presumed lost with all hands six months after it's disappearance_'

'_James?_' A deep male voice called out from within his room.

"Computer?" Kirk said with shock.

'_James, help them… they need your help_'

"Who is there?"

'_Don't be afraid James Tiberius Kirk… I will reveal myself, but only for an instant. It takes a lot of energy_' The voice whispered.

Kirk's eyes scanned the room quickly before a dark mass of swirling black and green energy appeared before his door until it finally changed into the form of a tall humanoid male as a face appeared from within the energy mass itself and finally the figure of a human male appeared, semi-transparent.

"Can you see me now?" The figure said with an almost whisper.

"What are you?" Kirk said as he leapt too his feet and grabbed a Phaser.

"I have yet… to understand it completely myself, but I am a… residue of the man you where researching. The essence of what I was, the soul if you like. You must help them, they are trapped in that… hell, in that place" He said as he seemed too shimmer whilst he walked towards Kirk.

"Who is trapped?"

"My wife and her crew. Forgive the manner in which I joined with you Captain, I had too know if I could trust you" The image of Captain Jerome said slowly. "We have been trying to make contact with others for over 100 years. Some, have gone mad in the attempt… you and your crew are different"

"Different? How?" Kirk said as he picked up a tricorder.

"Please, do not scan me. The beam will dissipate this fragile connection… My wife and her crew are… trapped in an area of space which has been folded upon itself. The appearance of the Saratoga after all of these years is evidence that they are loosing the battle"

"Folded Space?" Kirk said quickly.

"They where working on a new propulsion system of folding space for instantaneous travel between two points, the experiment failed disastrously and they became trapped. When we arrived, we also became trapped on the outskirts of the anomaly and we suffered the same effects…" Jerome said slowly.

"What effects?" Kirk replied.

"Our… Soul? The essence of what we are was ripped from our bodies as our bodies dissolved instantly, we became a form of pure energy…"

"I have crew on that ship!" Kirk yelled.

"I know, even now I can feel them. They are… protected by what is left of my wife and her crew, even now they are trying too find a way out of the anomaly. If you want them to survive, you have too listen. Even now your Engineer and Science Officers are working on a way to free them with the guidance from my own people. But, there are others who have been trapped with us are attempting to stop them and take the technology for themselves"

"Who?" Kirk demanded.

"Klingons, Romulans and a dozen other species that you are not yet aware of. The Space-Folding technology can not fall into the hands of anyone Captain Kirk, it is too dangerous and must be destroyed. I am growing weak and must return to where I came from. If that vessel emerges from the anomaly and is discovered… death will follow and your Federation will be the first that falls"

"If you can see them, then you can help them!" Kirk demanded once more.

"It requires all of my energy to make this connection with you, I may not survive after this. I need your trust James Kirk, I have seen into your soul and I know you will do what you have to do and I know that you will be changed by this encounter as I have been changed… Find and save your crew Captain Kirk and destroy the Saratoga…"

His words echoed through the Captain's quarters as he flickered slightly before the swirling energy appeared behind him and engulfed the form of the man as Kirk looked on with shock. Almost the instant he disappeared it felt as if something was inside of him, knocking away at the back of his mind as Kirk stood tall with confusion as what seemed like instructions on what he must do flowed into his mind in a sudden burst from the vortex before him.

Confusion echoed over the Captain as he looked around while he found himself laying on a bio-bed as the seemingly ever grumpy Doctor McCoy stood over him before he spoke.

"Bones?" Kirk said with confusion.

"Jim? Thank god, you've been almost comatose for nearly twenty hours" The Doctor said with a deep sigh of relief.

"What? No, I was just in my quarters…"

"No Jim. After you didn't respond to Spock's calls, he went to your quarters. He found you stood still, staring at the door with a Phaser and Tricorder in your hands, when you didn't move… we brought you here"

"What?" He said with confusion as he sat upright.

"Your life signs where erratic or awhile, they returned to normal moments ago, just before you woke up"

"Captain…" The voice of Spock called out from the door.

"Spock? What is going on?"

"Shield modifications are on-line and we are returning too the Saratoga. However, we have confined much of the crew to their quarters…"

"Spock, I know how to stop this, you're with me" Kirk said as he swung his legs off the Bio bed.

"What?" McCoy said sharply. "Jim, Doctor's orders… you're confined here for observation. I still have no idea what the hell happened too you!"

"Bones, there are almost forty of my crew on that damned ship… I will _NOT_ leave them behind. I'm leaving!" Kirk barked.

"Jim, I strongly recommend that you stay"

"Your recommendation is dually noted Doctor McCoy, note that in your log if you feel the need"

"Fine, what do I know? I'm just a _DOCTOR_ after all!" McCoy moaned as they left. "I knew it was a mistake to join this crew. I'm a Doctor, I'm far to busy for this. I had a nice little practice back home, but no… I had to join Starfleet and see the galaxy…"


	3. Chapter 3

Star Trek

Ghosts of the Abyss

Chapter Three

Dressed in Engineering work attire Captain Kirk seemed to run around engineering modifying systems as he gave seemingly unusual orders to the crew on how to modify the ship's systems. It had come to a point where he had dismissed the chief engineer and took over the department himself as he gave his orders which seemed to be more then usual for the ever stoic Commander Spock. Since Kirk had taken over command of the Enterprise from Captain Christopher Pike, a strong friendship had developed between the two a friendship which seemed to be now in jeopardy by the strange behaviour of the captain himself.

"Crewman Harris, report?" Kirk called out.

"Sir, I am reading a 45% increase in the shield output"

"That is not good enough Crewman… we need that output beyond 50% if this is too work. Reset and start again" Kirk said from beneath a console.

"Begging the Captain's pardon sir, but that is as much as I can give into the shield grid without it collapsing and crushing the ship!" Called out the weary Crewman.

"Do you have any idea what we are attempting to do Mister Harris? If those shields are not at 150%, the anomaly itself will tear everyone onboard this ship apart before we do what is needed" Kirk growled from under the console. "Reset, and start again"

"Captain Kirk. It is my judgement that you are unfit for command at this time…" Spock said carefully.

"Spock, now is not the time, we have less then two hours before we approach the anomaly… do you have any idea what is going on? What that thing is…"

Setting the final circuit, Kirk crawled out from under the console and stood before the Half-Vulcan as he dusted off his red uniform while he continued with a dangerous glare in his eyes.

"… I doubt it. I know what I am doing Commander. Now either you give me a hand, or get out of this Department!"

"Captain Kirk, By ORDER 104.C… I must request that you report to Sickbay for a full medical examination as it is my opinion that you are unfit for duty due to… your current behaviour" Spock said as he stood before the Captain.

"Got your eye on the big chair Spock? _GENERAL ORDER FOUR_: This order allows commanding officers to countermand Starfleet regulations in the event of extreme threat to Federation security. Report to the bridge Commander Spock, or I will have you relieved of duty and confined to your quarters"

"To what threat are you referring Captain Kirk?" Spock said slowly.

"I'm _NOT_ playing this game Spock, _WE_ don't have the time… Mister Harris?"

"Sir, shields strength is holding at 49.54% of normal… that is all I can give before they collapse" Harris said slowly.

"Are you sure Harris?" Kirk said quickly.

"Yes Captain"

"Alright, that cuts down our time frame slightly. Let's move on too the transporter systems in room two. There are a few modifications that we'll need if this is too work" Kirk said with a sigh.

"Captain. I strongly recommend that you report directly to Sickbay" Spock said once more.

"Your recommendation is noted First Officer. Report to the bridge _NOW_, that is an order!"

"Yes, Captain Kirk" Spock said with a raised Eyebrow.

After gathering the messhall of the Saratoga it had become clear to the personalities of the original crew that something strange had happened to them as at the same moment, each of them had witnessed a brief moment of confusion while they had experienced a voice wither inside their head or a review of this ship's sensor logs on that brief moment. Once again, pain ripped through her mind as her eyes clamped shut as she found herself stood in a black void as a weak voice cried out in pain, her eyes whipped around until they focused on the form of a young woman curled up in a ball weeping in fear.

"Hello?" Elizabeth called out.

For a brief moment, the woman looked up into her eyes before she curled up into a ball once more in terror.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. Who are you?"

"Then why are you here?" The frightened woman said.

"I-I-I Don't know. Who are you?" She said as she knelt at her side.

"Me, you, us… I-I-I-I Don't know anymore." She past her tears. "The real question is, who or what are you and why are you inside my head?"

"I don't understand" Elisabeth said with shock.

Almost instantly, the two women seemed to be stood facing each other as the mysterious young woman looked into her eyes with shock as she spoke.

"This is not possible! You are… Elizabeth Jerome?"

"Yes, who are you?"

"Me? I am the… for lack of a better term, the owner of the body you have taken over. I am Lieutenant Louise Burke of Starfleet"

"WHAT?" Elizabeth said in shock. "That is not a Starfleet Uniform… what are you? And why are you in my mind, are you some kind of parasite?"

"Parasite? _YOU_ are the Parasite Captain Jerome, you and all the others like you. You really don't know what is happening here do you?" She said as she searched her eyes.

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about _LIEUTENANT! _I am leaving, somehow"

"Please wait and listen to me? What is the last thing you remember before… I don't know how to put it" Louise said quickly.

"Before this happened? The pain, the headaches?"

"Yes! That's it" She said with a slight smile.

"We where dispatched by Starfleet Command on a test flight of the new design. It took us, almost two months at warp to get out here…" Elizabeth said slowly.

"Keep going"

"Our orders where to proceed to this location and activate the new drive, open a window directly to Jupiter Station, at a safe distance of course. Jenny said that the system was… wrong somehow"

"Jenny?" Louise said slowly.

"My Chief Engineer, we had become… close over those months" Replied the image of the Captain.

"I see, continue. Think Captain, think!" Louise pressed.

"Together, we managed to get the new system online and the first tests where promising as they had been in the labs. We decided to push for a full test… the vortex formed but became unstable. Space seemed to fold back upon itself and we where trapped…"

Instantly, the image of the long since dead Captain's eyes clamped shut as her legs buckled before she was caught by Louise as Elizabeth spoke.

"…Ohh the pain! I felt my… body being ripped apart, my mind was… torn from my body. It felt like I was on fire and then nothing, just peace as I looked over my own body while it dissolved before my eyes. I tried to find her, I tried to find Jenny but I couldn't move I just seemed to float as the others dissolved before me while I saw an energy cloud forming which drew me in, I felt at peace. Warmth and loving of whatever it was. I heard the thoughts of everyone for a fraction of a second and then I had a body… Oh my god, that was you?" She said with shock.

"Yes. We discovered your ship abandoned… we where going to salvage the vessel but the Enterprise was called away on assignment…"

"Enterprise? Of all of the people to find us… it had to be Archer" She laughed.

"This maybe hard for you to imagine Captain, but over 100 years has past since your ship had been stranded. Those you inhabit are from the Enterprise crew and now we are also stuck here" Louise Burke said slowly.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry, we didn't know… we couldn't have known. Last night?" Elizabeth said slowly.

"I know… I would rather not discuss that at the moment Captain" Louise replied quickly.

"But, Jenny and I, we… who is she?" She said apologetically.

"Ensign Julie Carver and Engineer from Enterprise. If she saw and felt what I…"

"I am so sorry. Please, can you… forgive me, forgive us?"

"Like I said, I won't talk about it. We've gotta find a way out of this hell, for all of us and then… maybe we can talk about it" Louise said with a shiver.

"How? From what you've said, we're all stuck here… together. Wait, why haven't you…"

"Dissolved and joined you? I thought about that, I've had nothing but time while I've observed you, me… us? I believe it was the window itself that created this… mess. Since it is no longer active, I believe that we are all safe. Your ship, the Saratoga has been drifting in this pocket of whatever the hell it is for over a century, it's almost at the edge if we can move the ship with thrusters… we maybe able to push ourselves free"

"Louise, what about us? What's left of us?" Elizabeth said slowly.

"I don't know Captain, I can't answer that. But there are almost forty living people onboard this ship… if we are to survive, we need your help perhaps you and those like you, will go on to whatever place we go after?" She said with hope. "Will you help us, all of us?"

"I will. But how?"

"We've been fighting each other for control since this began, the headaches must be a sign. If we work together, let down our guard and let go, we maybe able to work as one entity, two minds in one body?" Louise said quickly.

Her eyes opened instantly as she looked around the room and suddenly, she felt strange as if two voices where working in harmony together as she examined the data before her. Standing slowly from the chair beneath her, she nodded slightly into the reflection of herself in a mirror before entering the bridge and sitting down in the command chair. How could she now explain everything? How could she now explain what she had seen in her vision? Would the crew believe that she was crazy and relieve her of command, or accept what she had just learned in the brief moment she was in her ready room?

"Shut down the engines. Divert all power to the hull plating and navigational thrusters" The Captain called out.

"Ma'am?" Replied the helm officer.

"You heard the order mister. Everything we have done has had the opposite effect. The last window trial almost tore us… apart, literally. We push hard, this… anomaly pulls us back in so perhaps an alternate course of action will work? Any objections?"

"No ma'am!" Called out Jenny as she entered the bridge.

"Jenny, we really need to talk but, not now… we have a _MAJOR_ Problem"

"I know, we're stuck inside some kind of… loop? I had a talk with someone who was… less then cooperative"

"You as well?" Called out the helm officer. "I thought I was going nuts. Captain, we have to help these people"

"Anyone else?" Called out the captain. "Any objections?"

"No Ma'am" Replied the bridge crew, in unison.

"There is a Starfleet ship somewhere out there called Enterprise and she wants her crew back, her living crew. We _ALL_ do this together or not at all. We don't know what is awaiting us once we leave, but these people will carry our stories back to their Federation, our stories I can't ask everyone to do this… those who want to leave may do so by the lifeboats. Make your choice now people"

"Lizzie, I think I speak for everyone when I say… let's do this. Let's get them home"

"Somehow I knew that you would say that Jenn, we both did… shut down everything but life support and transfer all power to navigational thrusters… we've got one shot at this, let's make it count"

Appearing almost dead in space, the old starship seemed to drift once more closer towards the centre of the fold in space and deeper into whatever hell the Spacefold technology had created. Slowly a force begun to build up around the vessel causing it shake almost violently as the two crews working as one attempted to hold onto anything they could find as the terrifying sound of the ship itself beginning to twist under the stress as alarms rang out throughout the vessel itself.

"_WE HAVE MICRO-FRACTURES FORMING ALLOVER THE SHIP CAPTAIN. WE MUST BREAK FREE OR WE'LL BE TORN APART!_" Yelled the Engineer.

"_WAIT FIR IT… NOT YET_" Called out the captain… "_NOW! FULL GIVE US EVERYTHING YOU HAVE_"

"_IF WE WHERE HOLDING ANYTHING BACK, YOU'D KNOW ABOUT IT!_" Replied the Engineer.

Slowly the vessel began too move away from the centre of the anomalous fold in space once again towards the edge before an explosion ripped through the port-side of the ship and tore half of the port nacelle from the housing itself and throwing the entire crew onto the deck plating hard as the Captain's head bounced off the arm of her chair before she hit the deck beneath her.

Dazed and confused, she stood slowly as blood trickled from a large cut above her left eye as she staggered for a moment before sitting down in the chair once more as the Engineer looked at her with shock before she nodded slightly as pain ripped through her skull as she wiped the blood from above her eye as she called out.

"Status?"

"We've lost the port nacelle, hull breaches on B-C and D decks portside sections. We've lost twelve crew Captain. Emergency bulkheads are in place but, they won't hold up against the stress…" Replied the two Engineers with one voice.

"Captain, we're breaking free of the fold… what the hell?" Cried out the terrified science officers.

Sat on the bridge of the USS Enterprise, Captain James T. Kirk watched as the tiny ship continued to twist and warp as explosions tore across the portside hull of the vessel while the warp nacelle began to bend until it eventually snapped in half as the forward section of the warp nacelle ripped from the half-saucer section of the ship only to fall away from the vessel, deeper into the anomaly with an explosion which seemed to send a small shockwave towards the ship, pushing it slightly away from the vessel itself.

"Captain, the vessel is almost clear. However, it is loosing inertia and will soon fall back into the anomaly" Spock said slowly.

"Let's hope those shields will hold up against that sheering force, looks like we're about to see how much of a pounding this new design can take. Sulu, plot a spiral course into the anomaly, keep us close too the edge. Stand by on tractor beam… we're going to pull her out. Once clear… transport the entire crew onboard"

"Captain. Transporting the Entire crew onboard will take an average of… 10.5 minutes considering the number of people onboard the Saratoga" Replied Spock.

"Not if we all of them at once Spock, plus… I've made some modifications to one of the transporters. Spock, I need your trust on this, not your comments…" Kirk replied without looking up at him.

Powering the large impulse engines to full power for a forty second burst, Sulu navigated the ship inside the anomaly as the Enterprise began to shake from the sheering forces however, they where protected by the powerful shield modifications as Command Spock looked down into his scope with a single raised eyebrow as he spoke.

"Fascinating. The shields are holding captain. However, I estimate that we have less then ten minutes before the shield grid is overloaded from the strain"

"We should be on our way out by then Spock"

For a brief moment, the screen seemed to fade out before the image once again returned only this time, with the image of four vessels each heading in a different direction and each identical to the last as Spock refocused his scope as he spoke.

"Captain, sensors are detecting…"

"We see it Spock…" Kirk said with shock.

"Captain, which one is it?" Sulu replied.

"The one on the upper left Captain, it's in the exact same spot as it was before the screen changed" Called out Lieutenant Uhura.

"Are you sure Lieutenant?" Kirk said as he looked over his shoulder.

"Yes sir… look, it's heading towards us…"

"Captain. Sensors are recording life signs from each of the four vessels"

"We only have one shot at this people, let's make it count" Kirk said as he stood and walked towards the helm. "But which one is it? Uhura's or one of the others?"

"Captain, I believe that I have an answer" Spock called out. "What we are observing in an echo from the event horizon itself. Four ships, each the Saratoga but from a different time in their attempt to escape"

"How is the possible Spock?" Kirk said with confusion.

"There is only one thing that I know of that can create this… convergence in the Space-Time Continuum…"

"A Black-Hole?" Sulu said quickly.

"A crud but effective description Lieutenant Sulu. I am attempting to compensate…" Replied the half-Vulcan officer.

"Wait Spock, we're going about this all wrong" Kirk said with a half-smile. "Scan for degradation in the damage along the hull of the ship. If we pick the vessel with the least degradation…"

"Beam them out at an earlier time!" Uhura said quickly.

"Exactly… Spock?"

"Scanning. I have it Captain, upper left quadrant…"

"As I said Captain" Uhura replied with a grin.

"Not quiet Miss Uhura. The vessel below, heading away from the Enterprise…"

"I see it Captain. Locking on tractor beam… now. The tractor beam is disintegrating before it reaches the vessel…" The voice of the Chief Engineer called out over the speakers. "… Attempting to compensate, I'll try reversing the polarity, that should cut through all that crap…"

"We have the Saratoga sir… reversing thrusters" Sulu said quickly.

Slowly backing away from the unusual fold in space created by the Saratoga's experimental drive, the Enterprise finally cleared the anomaly as the heavily damaged ancient vessel was ripped from the fold in space as her remaining warp engine collapsed under the stress and was crushed like an egg as explosions tore threw the ship itself. Reacting quickly, Kirk ordered the crew to be evacuated by the transporters as the Enterprise in the damaged ship came to a full stop at a safe distance from the fold.

_Captains Log: Supplemental__…_

_We have recovered what remains of the Starfleet Vessel, Saratoga from the anomaly and we are holding position as we study the fold in space itself. However, with the loss of twelve crew onboard that ship I am now faced with the unenviable task of informing their next of kin. I certainly hope this is the last batch of Red-Letters I have too dictate on this mission. _

_So far, some of the crew onboard the Saratoga have yet to discuss what happened while they where onboard that ancient vessel._

_Additional Recording..._

_Starfleet has informed me that the Saratoga is to be taken back to Earth for analysis of the Spacefold technology. In doing so, I now have to break that… particular news to Lieutenant Burke and the personality of Captain Elizabeth Jerome who for the moment, resides within her mind. I am not sure of how they will take the news…_

Finishing the final Red-Letter to the next of kin of those lost during this most unusual mission, Kirk transmitted the entire batch back to Starfleet Command for delivery as he leaned back in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair as the doorbell chimed. Leaning forwards, he straightened his tunic as he called for his guest to enter. Stepping into the room, Lieutenant Burke seemed to be more relaxed as she stood before him and nodded twice.

"Captain Kirk. Doctor McCoy has given me, us… a clean bill of health, considering the unusual circumstances of our condition" She said slowly before her demeanour seemed to change slightly as she spoke. "Yes Captain Kirk, he's… an incredible Doctor, I could've used someone like him on the Saratoga"

"I take it that you are Captain Jerome?" Kirk said with confusion in his eyes.

"Yes Captain. Elizabeth Jerome, Your navigation officer is here also. This is an amazing ship Kirk, what I couldn't do with a ship like this…" She said as she looked around the captain's quarters.

"What do I call you now? Captain Jerome, Lieutenant Burke?"

"Since this… Body, belongs to Louise Burke… This will require some energy…"

Her eyes closed for a brief moment before a server pain echoed over her as she fell too her knees as a mass of energy left her body and formed at her side into a ghostly image of Captain Jerome herself. Gathering her strength Lieutenant Louise Burke stood as she took a deep breath and exhaled as the pain subsided while her eyes fell onto the shimmering image of the presence which had taken over her body for a brief time as Kirk stood quickly.

"That really Hurt!" Louise said as she took another deep breath.

"Forgive me Lieutenant…"

"Captain? Captain Jerome?" She said with shock.

"Yes, at least… what is left of me. It is taking a lot of energy to hold this form and I don't think your body can take another blending… Captain Kirk, please make this quick" Jerome said quickly.

"Very well. I have received new orders from Starfleet Command. The tug-ship is almost here, considering the nature of the Saratoga, she is to be towed back too Earth for… analysis of the Space-fold technology"

"What? That's crazy… Sir" Louise said harshly. "Forgive me sir, but you didn't experience what I did, what did… I mean, what we did. It is far to dangerous for anyone. It must be destroyed as soon as possible, along with that… anomaly it created"

"We've deployed warning beacons along the parameter to inform any ship not to enter this sector… I have my orders Lieutenant"

"Louise is correct captain Kirk, we spent over 100 years trapped in hell… god only knows how many have fallen into that well of death. The Saratoga _MUST_ be destroyed… you know that Captain Kirk, I can feel it within you and something else…"

"Captain, where is the Saratoga now?" Louise said quickly.

"Caught in the tractor beam… we're holding position close by the anomaly… why?" Kirk said with a half smile.

"Whatever hell that is out there, it seems to want the Saratoga… let's give it to it, right down it's damned throat" She said with a dark smile.

"For what it's worth ladies, I agree with you. But I have my orders… Captain Jerome, I have no authority over you, only Lieutenant Burke" Kirk said with a smile.

"I think I have an idea sir. Forgive me Elizabeth, I've been able to hold onto your knowledge and experiences and I believe that you have mine. Captain Kirk, Jim… in one hour, the transporter in room two will be off-line due to… maintenance. Wouldn't it be a shame of the tractor beam failed and threw the Saratoga into the anomaly, while her Space-Fold engines overload?"

"That goes against orders Lieutenant" Kirk said with a half smile. "But, it's theoretically possible… the loss of the prototype would be a shame…"


	4. Chapter 4

Star Trek

Ghosts of the Abyss

Chapter Four

_Captain__'__s Log, Stardate 1117.6..._

_I have just had the unenviable of informing Starfleet Command of the destruction of the Old Earth Starship Saratoga. Apparently during a maintenance check on transporter room two, a power surge tore through the ship and into the connected vessel itself via the tractor beam causing a massive power surge in the Space-Fold systems. In order to avoid the destruction of the Enterprise herself, we where left with no other action but to jettison the Saratoga herself before she was caught in the gravity well of the Anomaly before the engines overloaded. The resulting explosion destroyed the Saratoga and the Anomaly itself. The Enterprise sustained damage and we are enroute to Starbase Nine for repairs._

_Since the closure of the Anomaly, what remained of the Saratoga crew have left the bodies of my own for a destination unknown as in the ancient traditions of Earth sailing vessels, we all wish them 'Calm Winds and Following Seas' in their journey._

Walking along side Lieutenant Burke, Captain Kirk listened with interest to the story being told to him about her time onboard the Saratoga, although the experience had changed his junior officer as it had with the others onboard his ship who had been taken over by the unusual forces, she always seemed to be holding something back.

"… So I get the feeling Sir, that these memories of hers will stay with me forever"

"It seems like you have literally a lifetime of experiences Miss Burke. Not many people have the chance to experience the life of a Starship Captain… especially one of that Era" Kirk laughed slightly.

"It's not entirely that sir…" She said as she stopped him. "Jim, something… happened onboard the Saratoga while Elizabeth was in control… can this go no further sir?"

"I promise" Kirk said with concern of the officer.

"Alright, if this goes any further… I'll know it came from you. The… what are we calling it now, Spirit?"

"I don't know… essence?" Replied the Captain.

"The essence of Jennifer West had taken over the body of Ensign Carver and well… I saw and felt everything Captain, the emotion, the tenderness… the love between them" She said as she hung her head while her face turned red.

"Ohh!" Kirk replied with raised eyebrows. "Have you… umm… spoken with Miss Carver?" He whispered.

"No Jim, we've been avoiding each other for the last two days. I feel the connection with her sir…"

"Then, perhaps you should take with her. Don't avoid the only person onboard who can help you make some sense of what happened. Listen to me Louise, the crew who where onboard the Saratoga are off-duty until we reach Starbase Nine in four days. I shouldn't tell you this, but she's put in for a transfer to another ship. Talk with her Lieutenant, that's an order or I will put you both in a room and seal the doors"

"You wouldn't!" She said with laughter.

"I can't have two of my Junior Officers, who where friends… avoiding each other like this"

Smiling slightly, he looked up the corridor as a woman walked towards them and stopped instantly as he continued.

"Here's your chance… talk with her. That is an order Lieutenant" Kirk said as he turned and walked back the way they had came.

Her face flushed red as she stood and looked at the Ensign before her, turning slowly she noticed that she had stopped the Captain outside the Ensign's quarters. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and spoke as Julie started to turn away.

"Please wait? We… should… talk Julie"

"I know, I was thinking the same thing" She said as she walked towards her slowly and stopped before her.

"Let me say this, then I'll leave. I know what happened and I also know that it wasn't us… you're a great friend Julie and I would hate to loose that friendship over something that wasn't our fault. Can we talk about what happened?" She said quickly.

"Of course…" Julie said with an urgency. "… After all, it wasn't us right? Just some strange entity in our bodies…"

"Yes…" Louise replied as she felt a hand slip into hers. "… I felt what she felt…"

"I… I still do, when I see you, I feel the love they once shared"

"So do I!" Louise said as her hand slipped loose as she looked away for a moment as she continued. "We should talk about this…"

"I agree. Come on in, I have always have a pot of coffee ready"

The morning after, Doctor McCoy walked down the corridor as he read through the medical reports on the crew who had been onboard the Saratoga, as he instantly stopped and turned as he saw Lieutenant Burke exit quarters that where not her own, carrying her uniform and wearing only a bathrobe with an Engineering insignia. As she passed him, he saw a large smile as her face turned a deep shade of red as she wished him good morning.

"Lieutenant?" He said quickly. "Yes Doctor, never felt better… have a great day Doctor. Ohh, I'll have that report on your desk, just give me a couple of hours sir" She said with a smile as she walked away.

Turning quickly on his heels, his eyes instantly locked onto the only open door as Ensign Carver pulled a bathrobe around herself as she spoke.

"Good morning Doctor McCoy" She said before the door of her quarters closed.

In 2276...

It had been ten years since what had become known and classified by Starfleet Command as '_The Saratoga Incident_' as the newly refit and relaunched USS Enterprise NCC-1701 had embarked on a new five year mission as the Flagship of the United Federation of Planets under the command of Rear Admiral James Tiberius Kirk and his original crew. Six weeks after '_The Saratoga Incident_' Lieutenant Louise Burke received a promotion to Lieutenant Commander and offered a position as Chief Helm and First Officer of a Science Vessel operating on the rim of Federation Space, a promotion which she quickly accepted, her only stipulation was the assignment of her close friend and newly promoted Lieutenant Junior Julie Carver as Assistant to the Chief Engineer of the small and cramped Archer Class Vessel. After two months onboard the cramped vessel with only a crew of 15 officers and crew, the Chief Engineer was killed in an accident while on an away mission, leaving Julie carver to the position of Chief Engineer as the two became closer and eventually took another posting onboard an Oberth Class Starship with similar positions onboard the USS Osiris, a position where the two and taken shared quarters with the approval of the Commanding Officer himself after the divorce from her husband due to their respective careers.

_Captain's Log Stardate 3751.3... _

_This will be my final entry into this log as a member of the crew of the USS Osiris and a Starfleet Officer. As previously reported in this log and my own personal logs, I have taken the position as Acting-Captain of this vessel after the death of Captain Harrison four weeks ago at the hands of the Klingons. Since myself and partner Julie had joined this ship, we have given this ship and crew everything we could and beyond, even after the death of the Captain, I have performed the duties of Acting Captain as required by the First Officer under similar circumstances. _

_After completing the remainder of our assigned mission by Starfleet Command, a two year survey of this sector… we are returning home to Earth at Warp 4.5 where STARFLEET COMMAND, in their infinite wisdom, has assigned another officer as Captain of this vessel and once again I have been passed over for promotion beyond the rank of Commander much to the annoyance of myself and the crew as they have come accept me as their temporary Commanding officer. Due to this… what the crew has called 'An Injustice' I have tendered my resignation to Starfleet Command, effective upon the reassignment of the new Commanding Officer._

_Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the new Captain and I know that he is a capable officer named Caleb Quinn with a long line of citations and awards from Starfleet. With no reason given as to why I have once again been passed over for the centre seat of a Starship. In three weeks time and after I have assisted Captain Quinn with his take over of the ship, I will take my final leave of the ship and crew I have to love and respect as myself and Julie have left Starfleet._

Pacing her quarters in the middle of the night, Commander Louise Burke dictated her final log entry as she bounced a small tennis ball of the deck plating before saving the log entry for transmission back to Earth once they had arrived for the final time.

Wearing only a small Tholian Silk bathrobe, she sat down on the chair before the computer screen in her shared quarters as she closed the log entry and deactivated the screen with a large yawn moments before she felt a strange yet familiar presence wash over her as a shiver was sent down her spine. Slowly standing, Louise looked around the room for any sign of the presence she felt as a figure appeared out of the darkness, a figure she instantly recognised as her jaw dropped.

"Hello Louise, for you it has been some time since we last met"

"Elizabeth Jerome?" Louise said with a deep shock.

"Yes… and… No! I've been watching you and following your career with satisfaction and disappointment at the way Starfleet has treated you. Passing you over for your own Command? I find it hard to believe that Starfleet Command is the same organisation that I joined a century ago"

"Yeah, I'm slightly pissed off also" Louise said as she hung her head.

"I know that you have resigned your commission, both of you. You can't do that right now Louise…"

"Why not? I can't stay onboard this ship. A ship I have given everything to… A ship that I have almost died protecting" Louise said as her anger grew.

"I have a very long story to tell you. After which, I doubt you will leave. When the Saratoga was destroyed, it sent a shockwave back through time itself to the beginning of creation itself… the explosion was the catalyst for the big-Bang itself. The newborn universe expanded rapidly and two billion years later, a species sprang into existence and rapidly evolved. That species had enormous power. They used their combined power to create a new level of existence after a billion years of course…"

"Of course" Louise said as she walked towards a sofa against the window and sat down.

"… They became '_Guardians_' of the younger races which had begun to spring into existence. Several Billion years later, Earth had been created out of the remnants of a supernova, eventually humanity evolved and finally entered space. Finally, we created the Space-Fold technology and became stuck, many years later… you found us, that part you know"

"Old news captain!" Louise said with a smile.

"What you don't know, we evolved into that… Guardian species… we where also the first and the last to evolve into their kind and we where greeted as such…"

"So what are you saying, that I helped create this… species? Is that why I can't leave Starfleet?" Louise groaned.

"No! the existence of our… Continuum is now under threat from Starfleet, they don't know about us… You see Louise, Starfleet is once again experimenting with Space-Fold technology"

"_WHAT?_" She yelled as she leapt to her feet. "If you're all powerful, why don't you do anything about it?"

"I can't. we're not allowed to interfere… I have been granted permission to contact you about it but that is all. You and Julie are the only ones that we can now trust with this" Elizabeth said quickly.

"Who authorised this experiments?" She replied with a deep anger.

"The… equipment is currently onboard a Science Vessel of similar design to your own named USS Heracles and the order was signed by a man that we both know…"

"Ohh don't tell me" Louise said as he hung her head.

"Rear-Admiral James Tiberius Kirk!"

Her anger seemed to overload as she once again paced the room as her robe blew open from the breeze caused by her movements. Instantly she turned and faced the image of a woman who once inhabited her body as she spoke with a deep and pure anger.

"How could he do that? He knows what that technology is capable of. We barely survived the last encounter with a Space-Fold… it is dangerous and should not be allowed to exist"

"We know… that is why I was granted to make this appearance. Do what you need to do Louise, stop these experiments before anyone else is torn apart as I was and you almost where. I know that my connection with you has changed you Louise… in more ways then you know, your choice of partner being only the beginning. We have great plans for you and your Girlfriend Louise and remember… I am watching you always"

Blushing deeply with embarrassment as her anger seemed to fade slightly as Elizabeth raised her left hand slightly.

"Wait, this… species you've evolved into… what are you now?"

"You'll find out, when you're ready my dear. Good luck!"

With a single click of her fingers, a brilliant white flash appeared in the room as the former human woman disappeared instantly as Louise looked on with shock at what she had just witnessed with her own eyes and more importantly what she had just been told by the highly powerful woman before her as now she knew that must stop the new experiments at all costs, but how was she to do it? And who could she now trust to help her?

The End


End file.
